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What do trees, water, laziness and sleep deprivation have in common? It might seem like a random list of things that have no connection whatsoever. But actually, they all fall into the category of dangers that are seemingly harmless.
Water can drown you, trees can fall on you, laziness or a sedentary lifestyle is a slow train to the grave, and sleep deprivation can drive you crazy and/or make you do things that'll have the Grim Reaper coming for you faster than you can count sheep.
Someone recently asked, "What is far more lethal than people realize?" and more than 4,000 answers cam flying in. The long list probably isn't for anyone who already lives in a constant state of paranoia, but it is a helpful reminder that things aren't always as they appear.
Bored Panda has put together a list of the best replies for you to scroll through from the safety of your sofa. So buckle up, keep reading and be safe out there. Don't forget to upvote your favorites!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Water. People don't realize just how powerful fast moving water is and a lot of them pay the price for being over confident.
That’s all what I yam 13 hours ago (edited)
I remember back in the 70's driving on a narrow two-lane paved road crossing a field that had a brook running thru it. There was a large culvert pipe that carried the brook under the road. After a heavy rain, the brook overflowed across the road and I was one of three cars lined up to drive thru the overflow. The first car, a Camero, started driving thru and its front end lifted up and was carried over the edge of the road, dropping into the brook. Since there was a neighborhood only a few hundred feet away, when the driver, probably in his early twenties got out, I and the other car did a Y-Turn and took another road. Lesson learned.
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#2
Sleep deprivation. It’s treated like a badge of honor, but it's functionally the same as being drunk behind the wheel and destroys your heart and brain long-term.
Andrew Keir 4 hours ago
It's worse than being drunk , partly because you won't realise that you are suffering from it.
#7
Operating an automobile.
That’s all what I yam 15 hours ago
When I was helping teach my daughter to drive, I would tell her that driving was as dangerous as walking on a busy sidewalk with a gun that had its safety off - don't k**l anyone.
#8
Trees… in all the ways; widow makers and storm damage but also cutting trees as a profession.
Also driving tired.
#9
Cars. If people understood that they're basically driving around missiles, I think they'd use their indicators more often.
Andrew Keir 4 hours ago
Part of the problem may be that cars are very well designed these days, and you have to really goof off to díé in one. But that doesn't mean people can't get hurt... especially when the speed is above the posted limits. Double speed => 4 x the (kinetic) energy => 4 x the damage. At some point, this inflicts more damage than the car can take and still protect its inhabitants. And of course, pedestrians have no seatbelts, crumple zones or airbags to protect them.
#10
Food service workers not caring/paying attention.
When I worked at Panera an absolute useless coworker of mine made the mistake of accidentally switching the Hazelnut and Decaf coffee thermals.
Had I not noticed someone who's allergic to nuts, or someone potentially with a heart condition, could have d**d.
I'm sick of people thinking that just because it's not a full service restaurant, or we're not culinary "professionals" (however you define that), we won't k**l people by not paying attention.
#11
Farm animals.
If Betsy the Cow wants to end you she can if she wants. A horse will absolutely stomp you to death if you startle it wrong. A pissed off pig protecting their brood will absolutely end your curious child that doesn't know how protective even cute animals can be. People see animals and sometimes they just don't know. I once had friend who's girl actually tried to walk up and pet a Moose kept in this fenced area along the side of the highway.
It's like,: *No*. Don't assume a seemingly docile animal is truly docile. We learn and teach our children to no to walk up to random dogs without permission, why should a goat or even a rooster should be any different. One of my core memories as a young child was getting attack by birds because I was messing with them. I'm obviously fine now, but it was only after I got absolutely shook that my grandma told me that friend of hers that's blind in one eye lost to a bird.
So yeah.... farm animals. Anything bigger than a small dog can absolutely ruin your whole week if not your whole life if you just so happen to be unlucky enough.
#12
Large herbivores. I live only a few hours away from Yellowstone. Every year some foolish tourist gets gored or almost gets gored by a Bison. Do not get to close to the "fluffy cows". Many large herbivores are easily pissed off. For example, more people die because of Hippos or Cape Buffalo every year than lions. Moose are evil. Keep your distance and respect nature, or it will surely disrespect you.
#13
Parents raising kids without reaching emotional maturity first.
Nicole Weymann 13 hours ago
People HAVING kids without being done maturing, more like, because the issue often is that they DON'T raise them.
#14
Potassium and also not enough Potassium.
#15
Electricity. A barely perceptible AC shock (8mA) if it hits you at just the wrong time in the QRS cycle will end you immediately. So many deaths from folks making arc burners with microwave components, amazed that they haven't been classed as hazardous materials with old / redundant units REQUIRED to be handed in.
Andrew Keir 4 hours ago
"It's the volts that jolts, but it's the mills that kills". The danger is from the *current* ('mills' = milliamps = current). You might touch the same wire one day with dry (high-resistance) skin and just get a shock, but the next day if you've been sweating , your skin resistance is much lower, the current is much higher and we'll cry at your funeral.
#16
A gun with blank rounds. Never point one of them at yourself or anyone up close you can die from it.
UnclePanda 5 hours ago
This applies to all guns regardless of your thoughts on what it is or isn't loaded with.
#18
Mosquito bites.
Andrew Keir 4 hours ago
In certain countries these can be a major cause of disease and death. And, as global warming increases, the areas (where mosquitos can survive) are increasing steadily. Mosquitos - coming soon to a patch of still water near you!
#19
Blows to the head.
You know how in movies, you always see guys being knocked out with a blow to the back of the head? Maybe it's the hero, taking down guards in a non-lethal way. Maybe it's the bad guy, knocking the hero out with the b**t of a rifle or something.
...Yeah... for the record, if you've been knocked unconscious from blunt force trauma to the head, you've likely suffered a bad concussion, or a minor case of serious brain damage. When James Bond knocks a guy out, drags him to a closet, and leaves him there for hours? That guy isn't going to wake up, be embarrassed about falling asleep in a random place while on the clock, and never tell anyone about it. Left untreated, he's probably going to die.
#20
Birth control. As a guy, I wasn't aware birth control pills created a risk of stroke until last year. I am a guard at a college. I get called to a dorm room for someone having a stroke. I roll my eyes thinking it's another 20 something year old freaking out about what is probably nothing (something that happens multiple times a week), but I respond quickly all the same.
I get there and I am almost speechless. This 20ish year old, whom appeared to be pretty physically fit, is showing all the signs of a serious stroke. Facial drooping, limb weakness on one side, slurred speech. She should not be having a stroke. I immediately get on the radio and tell my dispatcher "this is a confirmed likely stroke, have city EMS step it up."
Long story short, we got her to the ER. That was the fastest I have ever seen EMS load and go. We get an update a day later, she's fine now, no cognitive deficits. So we got to her in time. But that was when I found out stroke is a side effect of the pill.
Erm Actually… 2 hours ago
Wait I’m on the pill for my irregular periods and my mom makes me take them I can’t NOT take them w*f???
#21
Drunk swimming.
Andrew Keir 4 hours ago
Drunk anything, but I agree that immersing your body in a potentially lethal chemical , requiring skilled movements to allow you to continue breathing, is better done sober.
#22
Warm, left-out food. Rice, beans, left on the stove to eat from all day. Sure its cool, till it's not.
#23
A wet floor.
Andrew Keir 3 hours ago
Make sure everyone in the house knows if you have mopped a floor - especially if it's the kitchen!
#24
Being sedentary (aka a desk job to recliner lifestyle).
Chich the witch 1 hour ago
Being retired it is too easy to fall into a sedentary state. "Yeah, I should go out for a walk but my arthritis is bad maybe I'll just watch some netflix". Going to sound odd but it can be a real job to keep yourself moving and motivated.
#26
Garage door springs.
Andrew Keir 4 hours ago
When fitted they are stressed to a very high energy level. If you try to adjust them they will do their best to end you. High energy storage is like that.
#27
Hippos. Hippos are the most dangerous animal on earth.
Despite being herbivores, they are highly territorial, aggressive, and unpredictable, with 50 cm teeth, a 3,300-pound weight, and the ability to run 30 mph.
They aggressively defend their water habitats from intruders, often attacking boats.They can capsize boats, crush humans, and possess a bite three times more powerful than a lion's. They are capable on land and in water, often surprising people at the water's edge.
#28
Head trauma. A coworker of mine slipped and hit their head and walked it off. I mean, it happens every so often, right? But a few hours later they died from internal bleeding in the brain. And that was that.
Saw them before the weekend and wished them well, they were getting ready for a promotion. Came back after the weekend and was told they're dead.
Pneumonia is bad too. Coworker was a little overweight and needed oxygen. They were such a delight and they were moving up to corporate with a promotion. They had a fall and were admitted to the hospital. They sent me a message on Facebook updating me they were in the hospital. Saw them on Monday, had a few days off, came back and they were gone.
"Where are you???"
"i'm in the hospital. you miss me?"
"duh"
"you'll get over it"
so basically if you get a promotion at my office and leave for a weekend, there's a good chance you'll die.
BookFanatic 5 hours ago
A good buddy of mine fell backwards off the folding chair she was standing on and smacked her head on an iron bed frame. Brushed it off as nothing until she started getting severe headaches multiple times over the next few hours. Turns out she had a brain bleed and wouldn't have made it if her hubby hadn't dragged her to the ER.
#29
Canada geese.
That’s all what I yam 12 hours ago
As the Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation once posted, "There's no such thing as a silly goose." The devil's own!
#30
The flu. People treat it like it's just an extra-bad cold and it's so much more dangerous than that.
Nota Robot 11 hours ago (edited)
I'm convinced that people regard what is actually an extra bad cold as 'a spot of the flu' (Dutch: een beetje grieperig) and that the reputationstems from that. The actual flu has you in bed for days, if not weeks.
#31
Regularly drinking alcohol your whole life, you’re probably losing 5-10 years at the tail end or slowly developing cancer and other diseases.
That’s all what I yam 12 hours ago (edited)
I remember reading an article that said the World Health Organization stated there was no healthy amount for drinking alcohol. I was surprised but since I only have less than a half-dozen drinks per year, I didn't bother confirming it.
#32
Republican beliefs about economics
Republican beliefs about history
Republican beliefs about international affairs
Republican beliefs about science
Republican beliefs about pretty much everything, really.
That’s all what I yam 15 hours ago (edited)
I remember when Republicans were conservative (against making radical or sweeping changes) and were strong supporters of state rights. ??????????
#33
Bitterness, eats away your soul and leads to an early d***h imo.
Andrew Keir 2 hours ago
Some memories deserve to be left far behind you. Don't carry them into your future.
#34
Nutmeg. 3-4 tablespoons can cause a lot of damage including organ failure.
Ace 12 hours ago
Like a lot of spices and other cooking ingredients, the volume needed to be toxic is so far outside what you could conceivably use, even by accident, that it's not really something we need to worry about. I mean, that amount is at least ten times what I would put in any dish, so perhaps 50 times more than any individual portion.
#35
Not sure how true this is, but someone told me recently that ingesting eyedrops is apparently very poisonous.
#36
Stress and depression.
Michael P (Perthaussieguy) 10 hours ago
A recent stressful issue raised my BP to 207/107. Not good. BP under control now though with regular medication.
#37
Home remodeling, especially bathrooms. They are not particularly well ventilated, and if you’re doing something with chemicals, you could be unconscious or dead before you even know you’re in trouble.
Andrew Keir 3 hours ago
Leave the extractor fan running , and do your house repairs with a reliable friend on site :-)
#38
Bipolar depression.
Ace 12 hours ago
Bipolar _disorder_. It's not the same as depression, can have both depressive and manic episodes, although not in all cases, which was why the name was changed from the earlier "Manic Depressive Disorder".
Powerful Katrinka 7 hours ago
There are two subtypes of bipolar disorder. One is bipolar 1 disorder (which I have) includes manic episodes. People with bipolar 2 disorder experience extreme depression, but may never have any symptoms of mania or hypomania at all.
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#39
Sleep apnea.
What do you think ?
Powerful Katrinka 7 hours ago (edited)
Drinking too much water. I discovered this the hard way. It was a hot weekend, the AC in my apartment was out, and I was packing for a move. I drink lots of water anyway, but that weekend I was really pounding it. I started feeling very disoriented and dizzy, and I was having horrendous muscle cramps all over my body. It was bad enough that I called an ambulance, which was one of the smartest things I’ve ever done. I ended up in the ICU for a week because my sodium levels had dropped so low. Just before I was discharged, my doctor told me that I was within a few hours of dying when I called 911.
Laszlo Larthlanc 3 hours ago
From the Internet: "A woman named Jennifer Lea Strange died at 26 while trying to win a Wii console in a radio contest called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" This happened in January of 2007. Contestants in this contest were required to drink an 8 ounce bottle of water every 15 minutes without urinating or vomiting. She consumed almost 2 gallons of water. This contest took place on radio station KDND in Sacramento, California, and in spite of callers who cautioned the DJs, including a nurse, the DJs kept on going and even ridiculed Strange. She died later at her home from hyponatremia, which causes brain swelling. 10 station employees were fired and Strange's family won $16.57 million dollars in court. The station closed down in 2017."
Load More Replies...
David Paterson 10 hours ago
Sport. All sport. Kills and disables more young people than anything else.
UKDeek 7 hours ago
Golf was always considered to be the sport with the highest number of fatalities...
Load More Replies...
Chich the witch 1 hour ago
Retiring. It sounds like a great thing, and can be, but can be a trying time. You have to keep yourself busy which can be tougher that you'd thought, your friends start dying, your and your partner's health fades, you can loose purpose, loneliness and depression can set in. Grew up on a farm and it was noticeable that people who sold their place and retired to a house in town usually did not last that long. My grandfather said he preferred to wear out rather than rust out. You have to work at keeping on keeping on.
Powerful Katrinka 7 hours ago (edited)
Drinking too much water. I discovered this the hard way. It was a hot weekend, the AC in my apartment was out, and I was packing for a move. I drink lots of water anyway, but that weekend I was really pounding it. I started feeling very disoriented and dizzy, and I was having horrendous muscle cramps all over my body. It was bad enough that I called an ambulance, which was one of the smartest things I’ve ever done. I ended up in the ICU for a week because my sodium levels had dropped so low. Just before I was discharged, my doctor told me that I was within a few hours of dying when I called 911.
Laszlo Larthlanc 3 hours ago
From the Internet: "A woman named Jennifer Lea Strange died at 26 while trying to win a Wii console in a radio contest called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" This happened in January of 2007. Contestants in this contest were required to drink an 8 ounce bottle of water every 15 minutes without urinating or vomiting. She consumed almost 2 gallons of water. This contest took place on radio station KDND in Sacramento, California, and in spite of callers who cautioned the DJs, including a nurse, the DJs kept on going and even ridiculed Strange. She died later at her home from hyponatremia, which causes brain swelling. 10 station employees were fired and Strange's family won $16.57 million dollars in court. The station closed down in 2017."
Load More Replies... David Paterson 10 hours ago
Sport. All sport. Kills and disables more young people than anything else.
UKDeek 7 hours ago
Golf was always considered to be the sport with the highest number of fatalities...
Load More Replies... Chich the witch 1 hour ago
Retiring. It sounds like a great thing, and can be, but can be a trying time. You have to keep yourself busy which can be tougher that you'd thought, your friends start dying, your and your partner's health fades, you can loose purpose, loneliness and depression can set in. Grew up on a farm and it was noticeable that people who sold their place and retired to a house in town usually did not last that long. My grandfather said he preferred to wear out rather than rust out. You have to work at keeping on keeping on.
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